Serrrgio

On 5/11/2017 at 3:32 PM, Wanda Kaishin said:

Yes, you explained yourself correctly, I just wasn't sure what that term meant. As for the topic, here's an example. Northern Chinese speakers (Harbin, Beijing ,etc) pronounce the r similar to how it's pronounced in US and Canadian English, so they have an easier time imitating those accents than the British accent. But I don't know if it's easier to understand for this reason. I also don't know if it makes a big difference or a small difference. 

Are those other examples made up, or have you read something that supports those similarities? It's somewhat interesting to me.

Exactly!

Nope, never readed about that, just came to my mind listening similar phonetics between Greek and Spanish; and all greeks I know have a wonderful pronunciation of Spanish...

Hi! Yes, that's what I mean. Of course, all cases are examples, no idea how Canadian English sounds, for example! But the idea is that maybe there are some sounds in an especific variety of English (os Spanish, or Chinese, it doesn't matter) which make this variety easier to understand to foreigners who use that sounds in theis mother tongue. Did I explained myself properly?

Hi there,

I'm in a similar situation, but I don't have my own web (if I have undesrtood correctly), but I'm starting to work in www.lingostan.com

It's not bad al all, in case you want to give them a look. They're looking for teachers also!

Hi Nada,

I'm in a similar situation, I'm starting with online lessons, in my case in a web called www.lingostan.com

I'm checking Verbalplanet right now to see how it works, maybe I'll try it out, as you say! Thanks for the info!

Yep, great advice

Thank you for the warm welcome!!! I'll let you know if I need help or whatever. I don't have a lot of time to come, but I'll try at leas once a week, since it seems an interesting place. However, discussions seems not very actives, or it is a false impression?

Hi, I have a question,

¿Do you think that students find easier one or another foreign accent according to the similarities between their mother tongue and the target language in a phoneticl level? For example, could Scottish English be easier for Italians, South African accent easier for Spaniards and Canadian accent easier for Chinese?

On 13/10/2017 at 10:03 AM, tracy18 said:

If you are into sci-fi and enjoy reading a layered story, then you should definitely read Dr.Jekyll and Mr.Hyde 

Well, I was going to suggest something from the same hand, Stevenson. It's a classic and he writes in an easy, simple way, which is really difficult to achieve in literature.

All their short tales are really great, they catch your attention and you can really enjoy his style. That man knew how to write.

Hi there,

Maybe a repeated question, but I've not found it in this forum.

When we say "people" should we use verbs in 3rd singular or in 3rd plural?

E. g.: Those people know something/ Those people knows something

Thanks a lot!

I'm not sure that proverbs are idioms, as somebody said above... Anyway, they are interesting too. Il

"Meterse en camisas de once varas": Vara is an ancient Spanish measure, something like 1.2 m I think, so "put yourself in a eleven varas shirt" is to put yourself in a situation too big for you, that you can't handle.

"Llover a cántros". A cántaro is a big jug. So it seems that someone is pouring (like in the English proverb)  a jug from above...
 

Quote

 

(This one really makes no sense to me) "A beber y a tragar, que el mundo se va acabar" This one means: "Eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow the world will end."

 

Well, it couldn't be clearer!

I leave another for you, simple but difficult for foreigners: "Ande yo caliente, ríase la gente".

I'm Spanish (from Spain) native speaker. Your R is great, just perfect (a little forced though), if you can use it in a normal converstion nobody will notice the difference.

However, r is a bit strange; I can notice that you are a foreigner.

Keep trying, you have done the more difficult (R), congratulations, some people never arrives! r will be much esier to get, don't worry...

Italian is much more beautiful (of course is my opinion), but Spanish is much more useful (500 millions of speakers)... ¿Which are your motivations?

Impossible to think in a universal sign language; we have all hear about (and maybe some of us speaks) esperanto. A similar thnig happens with sign language.

Furthermore, facial expressions and physical gestures re really different from one culture to another. If you try to use your usual mimic (for "yes", "no", "I'm hungry", "I don't like", "what?", "stop" "how much?", "f*** off" etc.) in other contexts you'll see that a universal "natural" sign gesture is impossible.

Hi there,

My name is Sergio and I have just found this forum; I'm working as a teacher in a online website and I'm always looking for new things to learn, interesting topics to show to my students, new resources and materials...

My mother tongue is Spanish, and I can manage in French, English and Portuguese. I have some knowledges of Italian nd German too, but not enough to have a fluent conversation...

This place seems very active and quite well organized, and that's a really good thing, I love it! So I think I'll stay around...

Thank to you all in advance!

Hi there,

I'm starting to work as a Spanish tutor (to have informal conversation in my native language) and as a Spanish teacher (to give formal lessons, since I have experience) in a new web called Lingostan. Is a website which goal is to put in contact (through platforms as Skype) people who want to learn a foreign language with people who want to teach their native language.

Since I'm trying to get some audience there, I'm interested in spreading the word... Well, the web is launching, so they have an special offer for students: 3 free trial lessons and 10USD in their wallet to use them to book other future lessons. Not bad at all. Really free: no catch, no credit card required.

The good point for me is that teachers and students can schedule the sessions as they prefer, and also the price. I've tried free websites to practise and the problem is that 99% of people set a meeting and they never show up again (there's no commitment in these days guys, as my grandma says; of course, she says in Spanish...)

Well, as I told you, the web is just starting. This is the reason why the site now is completely free. This is a sort of “beta version”. Usually tutors and teachers will be payed by students, but in this case is the web who pays, to check if everything works. The web is quite simple compared to others, sign in is easy, and they don't ask for any payment data. What I mean is that this is not a cheat.

Too good to be true? Just check it...

I'll be glad to read all your comments (or questions, if I can answer them...)